The Ascension of an Emperor
by MikoSwordmaiden01
Summary: Chapter 6 is up... The year is 1195 AD… In the wake of a new century, a new Emperor is about to ascend to the throne over all Japan. But will all of Japan be ready to receive him…?
1. The Beginning of a Journey

**The Ascension of an Emperor**

By Miko Swordmaiden

**Disclaimer:** The cast of X/1999 does not belong to me, they belong to the AMAZING women who make up CLAMP. I am merely "borrowing" them as usual.

**Author's notice: **Hello Readers! I am a big Sorashi fan and I have been thinking about the idea for this story for a LONG time now and was inspired by a BEAUTIFUL image of both Sora and Arashi in traditional japanese attire and both prepared for battle. If you'd like a web address to see the pic just send me a private message and I'd love to give you the site address!

BUT, don't give up on this story just because it's told mostly from Sora and Ara-chan's views, _ALL_ of the main characters of X will make an appearance in this fic and who knows…you might like what you read! Tell me in reviews what you'd like to see!

I thought it would make a GREAT story to have the cast of X in a type of AU setting in Feudal Japan. Now here is a MAJOR disclaimer…I am NOT Japanese so I don't know much about Japanese history but I have done a great deal of research, in the hopes of trying to get this as historically accurate as possible. What I couldn't research… I made up! Thank goodness this is fanFICTION!!! ;)

**Summary: **The year is 1195 AD…In the wake of a new century, a new Emperor is about to ascend to the throne over all Japan. But will _all_ of Japan be ready to receive him…?

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**Mt. Koya Monastery**

**1195 AD**

"Are you _sure_ it's necessary that you go Sensei? The road to Tokyo is long and fraught with many dangers. Perhaps one of the high priests could go in your place? I'm sure the emperor would understand…." The frustrated monk worried as he placed a freshly folded robe inside a small knapsack.

"That is enough my dear friend. I know how long the road to Tokyo is and yes...it is imperative that I go. After all, how often is it that a new emperor ascends to the throne over all Japan?" The stargazer smiled warmly as he placed a small loaf of bread into a second knapsack.

Dropping his head in defeat, the faithful though apprehensive younger monk continued to help prepare provisions for the old man's journey. Seeing his friend's concern, the old man put a comforting hand on his comrade's shoulder.

"I know you fear for my health and safety Hideki-san… but you needn't worry so much. It's not as though I go off to war; I am merely making a brief trip to Tokyo. Besides, I won't be traveling alone."

Hideki couldn't help but scoff. "That's another thing that worries me…." He muttered, but before he could finish his train of thought they both turned their heads at the sound of someone charging up the steps of the monastery that led to the kitchen.

"I'M READY OLD MAN!!! When do we leave!?!" An exuberant young monk crowed excitedly as he burst into the room from the stairwell.

"Sorata-san! Show some respect for your seniors!" Hideki snapped as the old man merely smiled.

Sorata immediately gave a quick bow to both of them and then turned his attention back to the Stargazer.

"So are we going now gramps? Time is wasting and Tokyo waits for no monk!" he laughed while picking up the knapsacks that were now full, easily swinging them over one of his broad shoulders.

"Hai Sorata-san. Give me a moment with Hideki-san and I will meet you at the gates." The old man chided as he watched Sorata grin and bow once more before racing back down the stairs and head for the gate.

"Ah to be young again eh Hideki?" the head of Koya chuckled softly. Hideki gave a small shake of his head as he too watched Sorata race across the courtyard of the sacred monastery. "He is _indeed _Sensei. Young, brash and naïve… he has little restraint despite his vast amounts of tutelage and training and I worry that he will be more of a hindrance than a help to you."

"Be careful that you don't judge too quickly my son…." The old man's smile gave way to a look of sadness. "Sorata may have much to learn yet but the obstacles I have foreseen that await him on our journey will be great and most grievous indeed. Obstacles that will shape and change him for better or worse, but for now, let him enjoy this moment of peace in his life. Let him be...young, brash and naïve." He smiled warmly again as he heartily slapped Hideki on the back.

Hideki gave a small nod and a half smile as he rubbed the part of his back that'd just been smacked. "I will ponder what you have told me Sensei and I wish you both good luck on your journey."

"I thank you for that Hideki. Might I ask one more favor before I go?"

Hideki nodded curiously.

"As the next senior most priest in our monastery, I would like you to watch over things while Sorata and I are gone. Give this old monk some 'peace of mind' so to speak?"

"I will do my very best Sensei." Hideki bowed deeply before his mentor.

"I know you will perform an admirable job." The old priest grinned as he turned to leave. "Now then…off to Tokyo."

……………………..

**Elsewhere, near the outskirts of the city of Ise…**

**Same Time**

…He watched in satisfaction as large dark clouds from the south rolled towards their location slowly and ominously.

"A storm is coming my lord." A sultry female voice practically purred as he continued to watch the sky.

"Yes…." He smiled widely, "A storm _is_ coming. A storm that will cleanse Japan and all her inhabitants, bringing them under the reign of a powerful new _emperor_…" The man smirked as he indulged himself in the thought of his well laid plans.

The woman turned to him fully, pulling her long dark tresses back behind her shoulder. She smiled too as she watched the face of her lord and master sneer at the gathering storm clouds still far in the distance.

"Lord Fuma!" a booming voice rang out from behind them.

Fuma gave a slight tug on the reigns of his dark warhorse and shifted himself around to face the large samurai who had addressed him.

"Your men stand ready and await your orders, my lord." He bowed low in respect.

"Well done Aikome-san. Tell your men to begin their march…we are going to pay a _visit_ to the fair city of Ise."

The large warrior returned his master's wicked grin with one of his own and nodded before turning to leave.

"And Aikome!" Fuma called quickly as he watched the large man turn back to him. "…Tell the men that we won't be needing any prisoners."

The Samurai nodded once again and left to inform their troops, laughing heartily as he did so.

Fuma turned back once more to the sky to the south. He could feel the eyes of his female companion studying him casually.

"What are you thinking of Kanoe-san?" he asked without bothering to look at her.

"The storm." She said smiling as she continued to eye the man before her. He was the very picture of power and control. Everything she had ever wanted for herself was sitting right before her eyes. If she played her hand right, she would help him ascend to the throne as the _true_ emperor of Japan…with her by his side.

"What about the storm?" he asked, though his tone rang with the sound of one who was more amused than curious.

"I think it's going to hit Ise before they know it's even coming." She laughed coldly.

Fuma couldn't help but shake his head and laugh pitilessly as well. _Very soon now. _He thought to himself indulgently_. Soon,* I* will be Emperor of Japan…_ And with that thought in mind, he and Kanoe turned their horses in the direction of Ise…..

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**Imperial Palace of Japan, at Kokyo in Tokyo**

**Same Time**

The sound of absolute silence filled the halls of the Imperial palace as the slender form of a young man wandered slowly through the drafty building. So many things to think about…so many things to do. Too much for a boy his age to handle on his own it seemed.

Young Kamui Shiro shook his head as felt his fears beginning to overwhelm him. He had been preparing for this his whole life, and yet, in the eleventh hour before his destiny would befall him he found himself starting to have doubts.

After all, Seiichiro-sama had served very well as the emperor of Japan for several years now in his father's stead until he, Kamui, came of age to take his rightful place as the true emperor.

At this moment Kamui found himself bitterly wishing that his late father hadn't gone to fight in the wars far to the west, despite the fact that it had to be done. The wars had taken his father from him when he was very young and since his mother had died the day he was born, the death of his father had left him all alone in the world.

Thankfully, the wisest of his father's royal advisors, Aoki-san, had been given the task of managing the empire as a temporary stand in until Kamui reached his fifteenth birthday. For this, Kamui was truly grateful. Seiichiro had been one of his father's closest friends and when word reached the palace that his father had been killed, Seiichiro immediately made it his business to care for Kamui as though he were his own son.

Kamui smiled softly as he thought of the man he respected and loved most in all the world. He had been so young when his real father had died that he could barely remember him. So truthfully, Seiichiro was more of a father to him than his true one had ever been. Kamui had never known someone kinder than Seiichiro Aoki or more generous. Under his care, the Empire had survived when chaos would have most surely destroyed it.

"What are you doing Kamui-kun?" a kind, soft voice whispered sweetly into his ear. Jerking around in surprise, Kamui found himself face to face with Aoki-sama's wife Karen. Kamui let out a huge sigh of relief as he placed a hand over his heart as if to calm it.

"Karen-san!" Kamui panted as he looked up at the flawlessly gorgeous woman before him. "You nearly scared the life out of me!"

Karen couldn't help but giggle softly, a sound that reminded him of tiny bells gently ringing. "I'm sorry Kamui-tan. I saw you so lost in deep thought that I couldn't resist. Besides, you were looking somewhat troubled…is everything alright?"

Kamui couldn't help the look of helplessness that passed over his features as he was once again reminded of his impending responsibilities. The weight of his duty was enough to make him sick to his stomach. _What if I can't do it??? _He worried.

"You don't have to explain Kamui, I understand that you must feel a bit overwhelmed by what will soon take place, but you needn't worry so much. You will be a great emperor, perhaps the greatest that Japan will ever know." She smiled warmly as she placed a delicate hand on his shoulder. "I know it."

"How do you know Karen?" Kamui queried desperately to the woman he had come to accept as the mother he had never known.

Karen just smiled as she placed a hand on his pale cheek and leaned in a bit closer to emphasize her point. "I know you will be great because I know YOU Kamui. I have faith in you, and so do MANY others. Many you don't even know. They all believe in you, and I know you won't let them down… because that's just how you are."

Kamui gave her the ghost of a smile as he covered her hand with his own. "Thank you Karen-san, for everything." He whispered hoarsely as he felt a lump form in his throat. Karen bowed to him deeply before straightening and looking around quickly, her red curls delicately bouncing as she started to walk away. "If you find Seiichiro before I do, please tell him I'm looking for him will you Kamui?" she called happily over her shoulder.

Kamui nodded as he watched the lovely woman disappear down the hallway from which she had come. Once more left to his own thoughts, Kamui turned and headed for the nearest window, looking out on the great city of Tokyo. _"I have faith in you, and so do MANY others…."_ He heard her voice repeat in his head. _Many others…_Kamui scanned the horizon as though it held answers to questions he hadn't quite figured out how to ask. _Many others…. Don't worry, _Kamui silently vowed, _whoever you are…I WONT let you down….._

…………………………………………………_.._

_I know its a bit short, but this is almost a sneak preview or a prelude to the larger story...Tell me what you think! What would you like to see happen? All you gotta do is write a review! -Miko_


	2. Storm at Ise

**Author's Note**: Ok readers, after reading reviews I'd like to just quickly address a few things concerning this story. First, I would like to reiterate my statement in the first chapter of this story. IM NOT from Japan, so I admit that I am ignorant when it comes to their culture and their history although much of this story revolves around what research I have done. But in order to make everyone happy I'll just say this…This is MY story and I'll write it how "I" choose, whether its historically/etiquettely/culturally accurate or not. Can't handle that? Then don't read it!

Second, my thanks go out to all who have reviewed so far. I know many are waiting for Sei/Sub to make an appearance and trust me when I say that they'll DEFINITELY be in the story, but I'm still working on how I want to portray them. So if you have an opinion, I ALWAYS love to hear suggestions!

That's about it, so without further delay…please enjoy chapter two!

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"So….I'm thinking that once we reach that sakura tree there we should stop and eat lunch! What do ya say Sofu?" Sorata grinned as he pointed to a large blossoming tree a few yards away with his shakujo.

"Sorata…. On life's journey, faith is nourishment." The old stargazer sighed while shielding his eyes as he glanced up at the sun. "Besides, it's not even noon yet and we just had breakfast. If we stop to eat every few hours, we'll never reach Ise by tomorrow."

"But Gramps! We started so _early_ this morning! Breakfast was forever ago and it's *nearly* noon!" Sorata pled overdramatically as he dragged his feet alongside the surprisingly lively old monk.

"Hmm…" the old man considered as he scanned the tree just ahead and the position of the brightly burning sun. "Tell me of the four things that we as monks are to rely on and then we shall eat." He smiled warmly.

Sorata immediately straightened his tall frame out of his "woe is me" stance and slowly and reverently recited the reliances that he knew by heart as they continued to walk.

"First, I must rely on the spirit and meaning of our teachings…not merely on the words…."

"Why?" the stargazer interrupted without hesitation.

Sorata looked over at him with a carefree smile. "I guess it's because, without spirit or meaning behind them, words are empty and worthless."

The old man returned the boy's smile with a nod to continue.

"Second, I must rely on the teachings…not on the personality of my teacher…..no matter how much I like and respect him!" Sorata quipped happily as they pressed forward.

This time the old monk couldn't help but smile back. "And why must you rely on this Sorata?" he asked quietly.

Sorata looked thoughtful for a moment before answering, "Perhaps its because… if one became more loyal to the teacher than to the teachings, then the teacher has the potential to lead his student astray if his mentor should go astray too…"

The old man also looked thoughtful as he continued to keep pace with his much taller traveling companion. "Indeed."

"But…if you had a teacher, who was good in every way, who would never deviate from his true path…then is it so bad to want to emulate him?" Sorata asked slightly troubled.

"There is no wrong in admiring the good qualities that can be seen in others my son." The old man reassured as he patted Sorata kindly on the back. "But, when one relies on that person, rather than on what has been taught…then what would the student do when his mentor has passed on?"

Sorata laughed suddenly as if the old man had just told him a joke. "Gramps, I think you'll probably outlive everyone I know, including me! So there's no need to worry about that!"

As Sorata continued to chuckle happily, the old man simply smiled knowingly. "Even the all knowing stars in the sky fall at times my young friend. And, like them, my time will come as well. And when it does, I hope you know on what it is that you can rely on."

Sorata closed his eyes but continued to smile softly. "I won't allow you to die old man." He said somberly, "You still have so much to teach me. I need you too much."

The stargazer stopped then and waited until Sorata realized he was walking alone and then stopped too, turning back to his sensei in surprise.

"That's exactly the point of the second reliance Sorata." He spoke seriously. "All the strength you need, all the wisdom you have gained, all the power you can wield….it all rests within yourself…not in this old man." He asserted while pointing his own shakujo at Sorata's chest, the rings jingling loudly.

"But Sensei, even you told me that I still have much to learn. As far as you've told me, I still haven't reached my power's full potential yet. How will I learn to harness and control my abilities if you aren't there to teach me!?" Sorata questioned, becoming obviously upset by where this conversation was going.

The old man smiled slightly. "Don't worry my son… when the time is right and your moment has come, you will have the control that you need and the knowledge to use it wisely."

Sorata still looked doubtful.

"Besides… I'm not planning on going anywhere just yet." He grinned as he continued to walk again. "But, if we don't eat soon, this old monk is going to waste away and your promise to keep me alive earlier will have been broken."

Sorata looked around them and realized that, while they'd been talking, they had gone far beyond the tree that he'd pointed out for them to stop at without even realizing it. _Very clever Sofu…very clever_. He thought admiringly.

The old monk stopped suddenly again and Sorata turned in surprise to see the old man clutching the robes tightly above his chest.

"Gramps!?!" Sorata worried as he rushed over to him.

"Something's wrong Sora…" the old man whispered as he looked up to the horizon.

"What's wrong Sofu?! Are you hurt?" he questioned as he placed a comforting hand on his mentor's shoulder.

"Not me." He spoke while still scanning the sky. "Something has happened…at Ise."

"Something at the shrine? But what could be wrong!?" Sorata asked as he too looked to the horizon where, somewhere far beyond them, laid the holy sanctuary. All he could see in the distance however were dark gathering storm clouds.

"I'm not sure…" the stargazer murmured, "but something is terribly wrong. We need to get there as quickly as we can."

"Then we'd best be on our way." Sorata stated with determination as he once again straightened his tall frame, all thoughts of food forgotten.

Gripping his shakujo tightly, the old stargazer also straightened. Nodding with resolve he quickly restarted their trek to Ise, doubling their pace from earlier. "If we stay at this pace, we should reach Ise sometime tonight."

Sorata only nodded as he fixed his gaze on the path before them. He worried slightly that the old stargazer wouldn't be able to keep going at this speed for long but he decided to wisely keep his mouth shut concerning his doubts. He instead turned his thoughts to Ise. He wasn't sure what to expect once they arrived there…he had never been to the shrine before, but if the old man said it was bad…then it must be grave indeed….

* * *

The sun had set quite some time ago, but for the past few hours the awful smell of smoke hung heavy in the air and in the distance great pillars of black smoke could be seen rising steadily above the tree line. It was bad indeed, though both Sorata and the stargazer were completely unprepared for just how bad it truly was.

The sky was now black as pitch from angry storm clouds that enveloped the heavens with darkness. Sorata could practically feel the electricity that tingled in the air from the massive clouds that rumbled and lit they sky every now and then with thunder and lightening, but had yet to pour rain. Sorata cursed inwardly, wishing the rain would fall to diminish the awful smell that grew worse and worse as they approached the city. But, realizing that it would put out the fires than were now the only light guiding their steps, he relinquished his wish.

The old man had stayed grimly silent the whole way until just before they entered the city. He stopped them just a mile or two before and stared at the ground troubled. "There's an army here…" he whispered, looking back up at Sorata. "The ground has been trampled by the feet of many men and horses..."

Sorata stooped down to touch the trodden grass, surprised that he hadn't noticed the obvious. "But why would an army come here? And who's army is it? The emperor's?"

The old man shook his head. "I don't know, but it can't belong to the emperor. Ise is peaceful and the home of one of shinto's greatest shrines, the emperor would never send an army through this sacred place…."

Standing, Sorata frowned as he looked toward the trees that surrounded the city. "So it must be someone else…but who? And why invade Ise?"

"This was not an invasion my son..." The old man spoke grimly, "…this was a massacre. And there's only one reason I can think of why someone would do this….I only hope that we are not too late…."

Sorata was about to ask more when a woman's cry shattered the silence. An icy chill ran down his spine at the sound of it…it was the sound of great suffering. Following the scream was a light rumbling sound and Sorata grew angry as he realized that it sounded like laughter.

Without thinking, the young monk started towards the city quickly, determined to stop whatever was going on, but was almost immediately stopped by his mentor.

"Slow down Sorata. Whatever is happening, we can't just go charging in there! We must be cautious or else we'll be of help to no one if we are caught or killed." His sensei asserted while blocking Sorata's way.

Grudgingly, Sorata nodded in agreement. The old stargazer smiled slightly and squeezed Sorata's arm reassuringly. "We must leave our belongings here as they'll only weigh us down. We'll return for them later. Also, remove your kesa. This will make it easier to move around in and will make us less visible."

Sorata did so quickly and was grateful that their robes were black. Indeed, if they were careful, they would be difficult to spot. Hiding their things beneath a tree, they swiftly and silently made their way to towards the city….

The sight that lay before them was nothing short of a gruesome nightmare. The inhabitants of the city had been slaughtered, their homes and buildings burned to the ground. Men, women…and even children…no one had been spared. The acrid smell of burnt flesh and death hung so thickly in the air that Sorata nearly gagged and placed a hand over his nose and mouth to try and block the scent.

They made their way stealthily towards the shrines but slowed as they started to come across armed men, no doubt part of the army that had done this. The closer they got to the main shrine, the greater the number of samurai they found. Many were headed towards the main shrine as well which made it difficult to move without being seen. But gradually they made their way there until Sorata gasped in shock at what he beheld….

Many of the smaller shrines were now nothing more than smoldering ashes while the main shrine was filled with many fiercely clad samurai. The temizusha, a sacred pool used to purify ones self before entering the shrine, was now reduced to nothing more than a watering trough for horses. The atrocious defilement of something so many considered holy caused Sorata's stomach to churn in disgust. But what shocked him most was what was taking place at the entrance to the shrine…

Tied mercilessly between the large poles of the main torii gate was a young woman dressed in priestess robes. Her head hung low, her long dark hair covering her face from view. Her arms were outstretched to their limit, raised slightly higher than her shoulders. Her wrists, visibly bleeding from being bound tightly by the ropes tied to the torii gate, appeared to be only things holding her upright as her body slumped slightly forward against her restraints. Her knees were slightly bent, unable to support her weight any longer, which Sorata assumed was out of pure fatigue…she must have been tied there for quite sometime.

She hung there unmoving and for a moment he feared she was dead. The cruel act enraged him and he clenched his fists tightly in anger for the poor girl. But the thought struck him that she was also gagged, and there was no point in gagging a dead body, so she must still be alive...at least…he _hoped_ she was. So many had died already.

A great streak of lightening lit up the sky above, causing many heads to turn to the sky in wonder as an earth-shattering crash of thunder followed. Within seconds rain began to pour down in ruthless torrents and both Sorata and the stargazer pulled an inner portion of their robes up to cover their heads. The soldiers groaned irritably and placed their helmets on as the rain pelted them without mercy. Within moments the young woman was completely drenched, entirely helpless against the elements that now raged so fiercely, but she stayed unmoving.

"Who is she?.." Sorata whispered weakly as he continued to watch the still form of the captive girl, unable to look away.

"She, Sorata, is the Kakushi Miko." The old monk whispered as he too eyed the girl carefully, his face full of concern.

"The hidden shrine maiden!?!" Sorata uttered in surprise as he inched a bit closer from their hiding place behind several large trees to try and see her better.

"That's right my son. She is the protector of Ise and the guardian of…"

The old man stopped suddenly as he noticed movement at the shrine's entrance. Both he and Sorata both squinted to see the faces of the people who were now approaching the torii gate. "Monoe Fuma..." the older monk whispered harshly.

"You know him Sofu!?" Sorata whispered back, whipping his head around to face the stargazer.

The old man nodded but said nothing as he watched the tall dark figure of Fuma, flanked by several others he recognized, come to stand before the powerless miko.

Fuma glared at the girl for a moment, as she seemingly ignored his presence, choosing instead to remain still. Savagely, he reached down and grabbed a fistful of the shrine maiden's dark hair and jerked it back cruelly, forcing the young woman to look up at him. To her credit, the young girl stifled the cry of pain that nearly escaped her lips beneath the gag and glared at the man who still gripped her dark and dripping tresses.

"I've given you plenty of time to think about what you've done..." He stated mockingly, loud enough for all to hear over the pouring rain. "…By hiding what is rightfully mine, you have forced me to do all this!" he shouted while waving his other hand about, indicating the vast destruction that had been done by he and his men. Many of the soldiers laughed as Fuma turned back to look at the girl, his grip tightening little by little.

Sorata's eyes widened in absolute shock as he finally saw the face of the shrine maiden of Ise. The sheer intensity of her eyes caused his heart to freeze with awe in his chest. The beauty of her face would have easily brought him to his knees had he not already been kneeling. She was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen…and in that instant he vowed that he would make these men pay dearly for what they had done to her….

Bringing his face closer to the girl's, Fuma sneered at her in disgust. "I know it's inside of you somewhere _priestess_ and I won't rest until I have that mirror! You can either give it to me willingly…or I'll take it by force! What is your answer!?" he snapped while ripping off her gag.

The shrine maiden jerked her head back the instant her gag was gone and spat defiantly in his face. "BITCH!" Fuma snarled in rage and brutally backhanded the young woman, making her cry aloud in pain as fresh blood began to flow from the corner of her mouth.

Sorata's temper flared wildly and he instantly rose to his feet, preparing to tear the warlord apart when the old stargazer tackled him to the ground. "Don't be a fool Sorata! You can't help her now! They'll kill you the second they see you!" He hissed as he tried to keep the younger monk still. If it hadn't been for another loud clap of thunder, they'd have been heard and spotted by now.

Sorata struggled against the surprising strength of his mentor, desperate to release the miko from her captors. "I WONT just sit here and hide while I watch those bastards lay their hands on her Sensei! I..I just cant!" He growled as he continued to glare daggers at the warlord.

"I understand your feelings my son, but if you wish to save her then we _must_ exercise patience! Do this Sorata, and I promise you…we WILL free her." The old monk vowed as he felt Sorata slowly relax.

Sorata sighed heavily in frustration as he finally looked up at his mentor, his eyes filled with pain… pain for a young priestess whom he had never met nor seen before now. The old man was somewhat shocked by the intensity of Sorata's concern for the miko. Usually Sorata was very laid back and easy going in the midst of adversity but this particular situation had him worked up in such a way that the elderly monk had never seen before.

With fatherly affection, the old man squeezed his student's shoulder in reassurance. "I _promise_." He whispered again. Sorata's face was grim but he nodded in agreement and turned back to watch the shrine maiden.

Her face was turned away from the warlord, but Sorata could easily see that the young girl was fighting to stay calm and collected in a hopeless situation. Wiping the spit from his face, Fuma grabbed a dagger from his belt and with his free hand grabbed the priestess by the throat, forcing her once again to look at him.

"Something like that is going to get you into a lot of trouble _miko." _He growled as he tightened his grip on her throat. "I should gut you right now for such insolence, but I can't risk losing the mirror, so I'm afraid we'll just have to be patient until the rest of my comrades arrive. I know one who will be especially interested in meeting you."

The girl began to struggle weakly for air but to no avail. Fuma smiled at her discomfort, purposefully holding his fierce grip on her. Then, as though another thought struck him, his sadistic smile deepened. He leaned in so close to her that his lips practically brushed hers as his voice dropped to a deep seductive purr, though it was still loud enough for all his men to hear. As he spoke, his dagger hand trailed the cold blade teasingly along the skin of her neck, slowly working his way down to deep V of her kimono. "You know priestess, I have many lonely samurai here who would love to get their hands on someone so…pure, so innocent….I wonder if you would still be able to maintain the mirror then….if you were no longer a maiden."

Cruel laughter and vile cheers rang out among his troops as the miko's eyes widened in absolute horror at his threat. Sorata's hands shook almost violently with barely contained fury and fought desperately to control his temper. _How DARE he threaten to defile a helpless girl, let alone a sacred Shinto shrine maiden!?! _His mind roared as he watched the warlord finally release his grip on the girl's neck. "I'm going to _kill_ him!" Sorata vowed as he helplessly watched the girl gasp and choke for air.

His mentor looked at him in surprise. Sorata was not prone to violence, in fact, he was a boy who was kind and compassionate, who abhorred death and violence, and had a desire to protect life. But perhaps his desire to now protect this girl was much more serious than the monk had first realized.

Fuma straightened as he watched the miko struggle to breath and casually circled around to her other side. "I'll see what my Onmyoji has to say when he arrives tomorrow and if he can't get you to relinquish the mirror, then I _will_ make good on my threat _priestess_. You can count on it." he snapped and then turned to one of her guards. "Gag her and make sure no one touches her until I say." He orders and without another word he heads back for the shelter of the main shrine.

Reaching out to still one of Sorata's shaking fists, the old man placed a bony finger to his lips and nodded towards the way they had come. Sorata frowned, knowing his sensei was ready to draw back and formulate a plan, but part of him refused to leave their position, refused to lose sight of her. A careful tug on his hand though, elicited a nod from him that he was coming. Offering a silent prayer for the girls protection and taking one last look at her, Sorata followed his mentor into the night……

* * *

_Thanks everyone for reading! Hope you liked it and PLEASE, if you have suggestions or would just like to comment, I LOVE to hear from you in reviews! Thanks again to ALL who have already reviewed and I'll do my best to meet expectations! -Miko_


	3. The Escape

**Author's Blip**: Hello once again! I don't know about you all, but it feels like it's been FOREVER since anyone has posted a new story or even updated an old story for X/1999! *Sigh* I know I fall into that category too, and I know we all have lives beyond fanfiction, but I HATE waiting for new stories and updates! Don't you!?! Anways, sorry it's been a while but here's a new chapter just for you and I hope you enjoy it!!!

* * *

**Ise Shrine  
****Late into the night…**

"You look tired my lord…" whispered Kanoe as she placed her hands gently on Fuma's broad back. "Perhaps you'd feel better if you took this time to rest. Nothing can be done now but wait until morning. By then more of your army will have assembled, as well as several of your generals."

She could feel the tension held in his tight muscles as well as feel the anger and impatience that practically dripped from his baleful aura. From the moment he left the detained miko and reentered the main shrine he had been pacing none stop in a terrible rage. Even his captains had wisely retreated back into the stormy night rather than find themselves in the way of their master's foul mood.

"I could help you to relax…" she murmured seductively as her hands trailed down his back. "…clear your mind for a while."

Without warning, Fuma whirled around and snatched one of her wrists tightly, his eyes burning with pent up fury. Kanoe gasped in both pain and surprise as his jaw flexed in anger. "I don't need to relax! What I need are answers, so don't even _think_ about using your mind tricks on me!" he snapped as he flung her hand away harshly. "I want you to tell me again everything you saw when you read that girl's mind! And I want EVERY detail!"

Trying to rub some feeling back into her now bruised wrist, Kanoe looked back up at her master in both fear and confusion. "My lord, I already told you _everything_ that I saw in her mind. I haven't left anything out, and her powers were too weak to resist me in anyway when I searched her memories. We know what happened, but I have complete confidence that once master Sakurazuka arrives he will have no trouble exorcizing the mirror from her."

Fuma slowly stalked towards her, his expression now turning deathly calm. For a moment Kanoe was completely immobilized in sheer terror of him as he approached her. He stopped mere inches from her face and simply stared. His dark eyes, eerily crimson in color, held hers captive now, the same way a viper might stare down its prey before delivering the death blow.

"You'd better pray to that demon goddess of yours that he can…" he hissed through clenched teeth, "Or I'll make you wish you'd never stopped me from cutting her open and retrieving it myself!"

Kanoe was about to plead her actions when the shrine suddenly started to shake wildly. Screams could be heard outside as the shaking grew in intensity, knocking both Fuma and Kanoe to the floor. Fuma's head shot to the doorway where one of his samurai collapsed through the entryway, screaming something about demons attacking the shrine.

"SUPERSTITOUS FOOL!" Fuma cried as he shielded his head from falling debris from the shrine's walls and ceiling. Kanoe shrieked in alarm as a large wooden beam making up one of the rafters of the shrine started to crash in around them. An unearthly, ear piercing roar reverberated throughout the shrine mingling with the crash of thunder outside, eliciting a gasp from Kanoe and a hateful scowl from Fuma.

Grabbing Kanoe's hand, Fuma shot out of the shrine dragging her along with him, not giving the terrified samurai cowering in the doorway a second thought. Freezing rain plastered his face and body the moment he emerged outside the shrine and was met by complete chaos. The black storm clouds erupted with multiple streaks of powerful lightning, casting an unholy light over the panicked army before completely disappearing; leaving the world in total darkness that was followed by heart stopping booms of thunder; only to be repeated again over and over. But the most unsettling thing was the appearance of a massive demonic looking creature that loomed predatorily over the camp…….

* * *

**Imperial Palace of Japan, Tokyo  
****Late that same night…**

The light of the moon was soft and beautiful as it illuminated the cool stones of the peacefully quiet palace corridors. Without a sound the delicate feet of a young woman padded carefully down one such corridor towards the palace gardens. She was a frail yet lovely girl, her hair spilling down her back in soft golden waves; her eyes as blue as the night sky. She shuddered slightly as the night breeze caressed her bare feet, and she found herself wishing she hadn't hurried out of her chamber so quickly, not thinking clearly enough to grab her tabi. But the nightmare she had dreamed had sent her practically running from her room and careening down the stairwell in silent terror.

After a few minutes of running she had become easily winded, her heart too weak to keep up much physical exertion, so she had been forced to slow down. After a while of walking she had finally started to calm down some. She now found herself aimlessly wandering the palace halls at an ungodly hour of the night and, with no desire to go back to sleep, she eventually decided that she would feel much better in the palace gardens.

It wasn't long before she found herself breathing in the faint scent of rose blossoms and sakura petals as she quietly roamed the immaculate gardens. Flowers of all colors and varieties made the air wonderfully sweet as she felt herself already beginning to relax from the terrible images of her nightmare.

It was not unusual for her to have bad dreams, in fact, they were a fairly regular occurrence, but tonight's dream had been different somehow… As she puzzled over what that difference was, she yelped when she felt her foot catch on something, sending her crashing to the ground.

She yelped even louder when she heard a soft grunt and there were a tangle of arms and legs that didn't belong to her.

"Kotori!?!" A male voice questioned from beneath her.

"Ka..Kamui!?!" she squeaked in alarm as she found herself lying on top of him.

They both stared at each other in absolute shock, both wondering what the other one was doing there at this hour of the night. Finally realizing that she was lying on top of him, Kamui, the future emperor over all Japan, in nothing but her night gown, sent her scrambling off and away from him. She blushed furiously as she made sure that she was properly covered and decent as she heard Kamui sit up in front of her.

Kamui opened his mouth to say something but was immediately cut off by a flustered and obviously embarrassed Kotori.

"I'm… I'm SO SORRY Kamui-dono! I didn't realize you were still awake! Or that you were here in the gardens! Please forgive my intrusion!"

Kamui flinched at the new honorific she had attached to his name. He knew she meant nothing but respect by it, but it only served as a reminder of what he had purposefully come out to the gardens to forget.

"Don't apologize Kotori, _no one_ knew I was out here so how could you have possibly known? And please, you're my closest friend, please just call me Kamui." He sighed as he watched her visibly relax, a small smile coming to her lips.

He couldn't help but smile slightly in return. Kotori had a strange way of keeping him calm when he felt entirely out of sorts. And though she lived at the palace as a royal servant, they had been childhood friends and playmates and were still very close to this day. He trusted her just as much as he trusted Aoki-sama and Karen-san, and truthfully, maybe even just a bit more so.

"What were you doing out here all by yourself?" she asked quietly as she slid herself a bit closer to him.

"Just thinking." He muttered back, somewhat tiredly. Kotori chanced a glance at him and found him looking troubled. _Not uncommon for someone who is about to become a ruler to an entire nation. _She thought sadly to herself as she continued to watch him. _He must feel so scared_…

Feeling her eyes on him, Kamui finally looked up to see her blue eyes studying him before quickly flitting away, a soft blush once again gracing her cheeks.

"What are _you_ doing out here? It's very late and you shouldn't wander around by yourself." He gently chided.

Kotori frowned slightly as she thought of her nightmare. "I… I had a bad dream and couldn't sleep anymore. So I went for a walk and thought I'd come here." She whispered, somewhat reluctantly.

Kamui also frowned. "Another bad dream?.." he asked in concern, "I thought that Lady Hinoto was helping you with your dreams?"

"Oh she has!" Kotori rushed, "And things have been better since she's started tutoring me….it's just that…. This dream…. It's different from the others I've had…." She trailed off, unable to find the words to express herself.

It had started a few months ago that she began struggling with confusing and sometimes frightening yet very significant dreams. Unable to stop, nor find answers, Kamui had offered to introduce her to Lady Hinoto, who lived in a sacred shrine within the palace walls. Not many were permitted to see her since her dream seeing abilities were so powerful and so secret. Only honored members of the royal court were permitted to see her, and those visits were kept short and to the point.

It had been a shock to Kotori upon meeting the prophetess to see that the dream seeing woman was also weak in body, much like herself. She had told Lady Hinoto of the dreams she had experienced and much to her surprise the white haired dream seer told her that she, Kotori, had the potential to peer into others dreams. Even more so, the dreams she had been looking in on belonged to the Lady Hinoto herself!

Kotori had apologized profusely but the Lady Hinoto had smiled and offered to teach her and train her to control her newfound abilities. It had helped immensely, much to Kotori's relief, but tonight's nightmare had her completely shaken. Only the tentative touch of Kamui's hand on hers brought her back to the present.

"Why don't you tell me about the dream? Maybe it will help to talk about it with someone you can trust…at least until you can talk to Lady Hinoto tomorrow?" He offered kindly, though not quite able to look her in the eye.

Kotori did smile then as she looked to her friend for strength. Tightening her grip on Kamui's hand ever so slightly, she took a deep and steadying breath.

"This is what I saw…….."

* * *

**Ise Shrine  
****That same night…..**

The city of Ise had been turned into a hellish nightmare for the army of Monoe, and Sorata couldn't help the feeling of inner satisfaction he felt as murderous and powerful samurai wept in fear of the gohodoji that the old stargazer had conjured up from a safe location.

Using his own abilities, Sorata had magnified the storm tenfold by enhancing the strength and quantity of the lightening that now seemed to flood the camp, causing boulders to shatter and burning trees to violently explode as men fled in terror for their lives.

Amidst the confusion, Sorata ran for the main torii gate where the shrine maiden still remained bound. One of the guards left by Fuma to watch her had fled while the other's charred remains lay at her feet, having met a nasty end by the unpredictable shafts of lightening streaking every which way throughout the encampment.

As Sorata approached her, he saw that her eyes were scrunched shut and her head turned away to the side, no doubt expecting to die at any given moment. His throat tightened in empathy for her. She had no means to protect or defend herself from neither the storm nor the "monster" that now terrorized Lord Fuma's horde. And now she had been abandoned and forgotten in the mayhem that was now taking place.

Kneeling down at the feet of the priestess, Sorata searched the burnt remains of her lifeless guard and finally found a wicked looking knife tucked in his smoldering obi. Pulling it free, Sorata immediately set to work cutting the ropes around the miko's feet. Once her feet were freed, Sorata jerked back instantly as the miko suddenly kicked out wildly at him. Surprised, Sorata jumped to his feet and saw the young maiden's eyes fiercely staring at him, daring him to come closer.

"Don't be afraid…" Sorata raised his hands while slowly approaching her. "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm here to help you." The girl was breathing heavily against her gag, undoubtedly confused and probably terrified by what was going on, but he saw the faintest flickering of what he hoped was a desire to trust him in her breath taking eyes.

"…Please trust me." He whispered soothingly as he reached out to gently remove her gag. The miko watched him like a hawk as his long and slender fingers brushed delicately against her cold cheek to sweep wet strands of her hair from her face and carefully removed her gag.

She coughed harshly as he pulled the fabric from her mouth and she immediately tilted her head back, mouth open wide, to catch the rain that fell steadily to the earth. He watched silently for a moment as she swallowed several times before finally returning her focus back to him. _They must have denied her food and water… _He thought to himself furiously as he watched her eye him warily.

"WATCH OUT!!!" She cried suddenly as he sensed someone behind him. Dodging to his left, Sorata barely missed the steel blade of a katana aimed for his heart and instantly unleashed a blast of electricity into the face of the samurai trying to kill him. The warrior screamed in agony as he fell to the ground, jerking and twitching unnaturally until all movement from him had ceased.

Sorata turned back to the miko whose eyes were wide in shock as she stared at the dead samurai's remains. Sorata swiftly moved in to cut the ropes that bound her wrists, grimly reminded of the fact that time was of the essence and escape was imperative. He grit his teeth in anger when he saw that the ropes around her wrists had been tied so mercilessly tight that they had cut deeply into her skin, making cutting the knots off next to impossible without hurting her further, so he quickly shifted the blade to cut the knot tied around the wood of the torii gate instead. Once the knot was severed, the girl instantly started to fall to the ground, too weak to stand on her own. Anticipating her fall, Sorata's free hand shot out to catch her, wrapping an arm around her to steady her.

The shrine maiden's back instantly arched in agony, screaming out in pain at his touch. Nearly dropping her in alarm, Sorata pulled her against him and peered around her to examine her back. To his horror, he found that the back of her kimono had been torn open and the skin of her back had been ripped to shreds by vicious whip marks, leaving a wet, raw and bloody mess. "By the Buddha!!!" he gasped as he instantaneously removed his hand from her back, and swiftly replaced it at her side. Surprisingly, she clung to him with her freed hand and pressed her head into his shoulder as she fought the urge to faint from the pain.

A memory assaulted him, of a woman's cry of pain, as he and his mentor entered Ise's borders, and the sickening sound of laughter that had followed. _It must have been her… who we heard screaming._ He thought enraged as the air around his seemed to crackle in answer to his anger. He took no pleasure in killing the men of this army, but he felt no regret either as he once again remembered the sound of the samurais' laughter as they took pleasure in her pain. _They're nothing but ANIMALS._ He thought in both hatred and disgust.

Feeling her moan softly against him snapped him out of his horrified and infuriated stupor and he quickly refocused his attention on freeing her other hand. As he cut the rope tied to the other side of the torii gate she relinquished her hold on him and weakly hugged the wood she had once been bound too, trying to catch her breath.

"Grab the Katana." She panted.

Sorata looked at her in shock. It was the first time he had heard the beautiful miko speak, her voice more lovely than he could have imagined and surprisingly strong despite her condition. It took him completely by surprise.

"What?" he asked bewildered.

"The sword!" she snapped, "Pick up the sword and sheath it for me!"

Turning to look down at the dead samurai, he obediently picked up the weapon that moments ago had nearly skewered him and sheathed it as she had asked. Reaching out for it with one hand, she grasped the pommel as Sorata wordlessly handed it to her. "We need to get out of here." She whispered coldly as she looked at him expectantly.

Nodding promptly Sorata held out his hand to her. She looked at it as if it would bite her and then looked up at him in confusion and apprehension. "Just trust me." He said with a soft smile as he looked deeply into her eyes. Hesitantly she reached a tentative hand out to meet his and he swiftly yet gently pulled her arm up to come around his neck. Bringing one arm down to circle gingerly around her lower waist, he brought his other arm up under her legs and easily lifted her off of the ground. She hugged the katana close to her body with one arm as she held tightly to the robes near his neck with her other. Hefting her lightly, careful to avoid any contact with her wounded back, he took a quick survey of their surroundings.

Finding his bearings, Sorata shot towards the outskirts of the city at a dead run, skillfully dodging past panicked soldiers. The old stargazer had done well, using the gohodoji to scare the wits out of the pitiless and apparently superstitious army. Most were still running around in absolute panic, ignoring everything around them as they dodged the lightening and the "demon" that no doubt appeared as punishment for desecrating the holy shrine of Amaterasu. The ominous electrical storm he had been cursing earlier had turned out to be the best stroke of luck they could have ever asked for. Without it's sinister and foreboding feel setting a stage for them, Sorata doubted that their plan would have really worked.

After what seemed like forever, Sorata burst through the trees where he and his mentor had left their belongings. Worriedly searching the tree line for any pursuers, he sighed in relief when he was satisfied that the coast was clear. "Why have we stopped?" the miko asked tensely as here eyes continued to rake over the area, refusing to let her guard down.

"We're meeting someone here…" He murmured anxiously as he prayed inwardly for the safety of his mentor.

"You're not alone?"

"Sorata!!!" A voice called out in the dark.

Sorata turned around with a start as he saw the old stargazer racing towards him through the rain and the mist that was starting to rise from the smoldering ashes of the city. He was riding on the back of a dark colored horse, the reins of a second dark horse were held tightly in one of his old and calloused fists.

"Sofu!!! Are you alright!?!" Sorata panted as the old man's horse came to a stop before the boy monk and the miko.

"Yes, but we need to get as far from here as we possibly can." He answered while waving Sorata over to the second horse he had stolen from the camp. "It won't take them long to regroup now that the gohodoji is gone and we _don't_ want to be around when they do."

Sorata came up next to the horse and gently lowered the priestess till her feet touched the ground. "Can you stand?" he asked anxiously as he kept both of his hands on her shoulders to keep her steady.

She reached out with her freehand to grip the saddle of the horse, her other hand still maintaining a white knuckle grip on the pillaged katana, and only nodded. Doing his best to attempt a reassuring smile he reached out for the weapon. She hesitated, instantly drawing away from him.

"You'll need both your hands to ride Nee-chan, I promise you that you'll get it back very soon. But we _must_ hurry!" He pressed urgently as he once again reached for the weapon.

A split second look of resentment passed over her features at what he'd called her before returning to a look of uncertainty. Taking a deep breath, the girl offered him the weapon, her hands trembling slightly. His hands tenderly grazed hers as he took hold of the sword, a shock running up his arm at the feel of her soft skin.

"_Sorata_!" His sensei snapped.

Jerking back into reality, Sorata promptly added the katana to the saddle, noticing that his shakujo and kesa had already been retrieved and added to the saddle as well by his mentor. Once again returning his attention to the miko, he reached out to her, ready to help her mount. She swallowed painfully as she shook her head.

"I've never ridden a horse." She admitted somewhat defensively, as if her ignorance shamed her.

Sorata just smiled as he brought his hands to her waist and easily lifted her onto the saddle before she even realized what was happening.

"Don't worry about it Nee-chan…" he assured her as he carefully positioned himself in front of her on the saddle. Reaching down for his Kesa, he pulled the beautiful fabric from its confines and deftly whisked it behind the miko and expertly tied the ends in front of him, effectively joining the two of them together at the waists. "This way, you'll only fall off if I do, and…" he murmured while bringing her hands down to wrap around his abdomen, "all you'll have to do is hold on tight."

The girl only nodded silently against his back and Sorata wondered if she was simply too afraid to answer, or if perhaps she was just as overcome by their nearness as he was. "Besides," he offered while taking the reins in his hands, "I've never ridden a horse either. So I guess this'll be a first for both of us!" he quipped optimistically, a huge grin spreading across his face.

"WHAT!?!" The miko yelped in surprise as the young monk swiftly kicked the horse into motion. The animal whinnied wildly and took off at a dead run, the old stargazer following closely behind them………

* * *

Well? How did you like it? Anything you'd like to see happen in the next chapter?...Should there BE a next chapter??? I'd LOVE to hear from you in a review!!! Thanks SO MUCH for reading!!! -Miko


	4. The Strangers

Hello once more everyone! Sorry its been a while since I've updated! So much is going on in life right now but I finally found the time to sit down and write! More will be coming VERY soon though since I'm nearly finished with the next chapter after this! Yay! Oh! And for all you Seishiro fans…your favorite character FINALLY makes a cameo in this chapter!!! And DON'T be disappointed that it's just a cameo…he'll be playing a BIG part a bit further into the story! Both he AND Subaru! I haven't forgotten them! Now…On with the story!

* * *

**Ise Shrine  
Late Morning…..  
**

Tension hung heavily in the air throughout the wreckage of what was once the fair shrine of Ise. It was understandable however. The terror of the demonic attack that took place the night before was _nothing_ in comparison to the horror that Fuma-dono had instilled in his army late that very morning……

The dead were left to rot while all who were still alive were ordered to break camp and prepare to move out. Lord Fuma immediately ordered his three best trackers to hunt down the shrine maiden who had escaped him during the attack, making it abundantly clear that failure was not an option.

Rumors ran rampant throughout the camp of the arrival of two dark strangers, said to be generals under the dark warlord's command. It wasn't long before Lord Fuma emerged from what was left of the main shrine, followed by Lady Kanoe and two figures who were both clad in black robes. One was a man, tall and lithe, his sleek jet black hair swaying softly in the early morning breeze. His lips curved ever so slightly in a knowing smirk while one hand reached up to trace a line across the black eye patch that covered his left eye.

The other figure was that of a woman. Despite being much shorter in comparison to her bemused companion, her very presence gave off an aura of one who was not to be trifled with. Her hair was short and choppy, though what length there was in the back was tied back by a dark thread. Her pale skin stood out in sharp contrast to her inky black hair which just barely framed her unemotional eyes. Unlike her amused counterpart, her look was one of near boredom as she took in the now assembled army.

Fuma immediately called forth all of his captains and ordered them to kneel before him. Within moments five large samurai came forward and swiftly obeyed, bowing their heads in respect…and fear. The dark warlord scowled in disgust at them before turning his attention back to his legion.

"Last night…was a _great _disappointment to me!" he spat as he paced the length of the row of captains before him. "We had the Yata no Kagami in our very hands… and in the midst of an ambush you all fled in terror like a bunch of superstitious old women!" The captains bowed even lower at the outrage of their master, a seed of terror beginning to grow within them. Fuma-dono was not known for being merciful…

Pacing back towards the beginning of the row, Fuma drew his sword from its sheath, a terribly wicked looking weapon, and hefted the blade easily despite its great size. The rest of the army remained as silent as death as they watched the warlord glare at their captains.

"…You think… that the demon that attacked us last night was terrifying….?" He hissed through clenched teeth. "…I'll _show_ you _terrifying!!_!" he roared. Turning to the two strangers, Lord Fuma snapped the name "Satsuki". The woman's eyes flickered up to meet Lord Fuma's and, with a slight nod, she directed her gaze at the row of captains. With complete disinterest she raised her hand and pointed at the stooped leaders, speaking only one word…. "Beast"…

For a moment nothing happened…. All was silent… until a low screeching noise was heard. Both the black robed figures remained still, but everyone else's eyes shot to the dark shadows within doorway of the main shrine. The screeching began to grow in volume and intensity and gasps rang out among the soldiers when the shadows within began to move. Without warning two large glowing red eyes materialized, followed by two more. Moving forward, the shadows seemed to crawl forth towards the row of now trembling captains.

Lord Fuma sneered as he watched his army take in the nightmarish form of a _true_ demon, the likes of which few have ever seen….and even fewer live to tell about. From the darkness of shadow the 'beast' began to take shape. Long dark legs moved closer and closer to the row of captains, it's screeching now causing many to cover their ears to block the terrible sound. Now fully emerged, the demon was truly a horrifying sight to behold. It closely resembled a massive spider, though no spider the gathered samurai had ever seen in nature. It towered above them, nearly the same size as the shrine itself, it's eyes ever glowing a wicked shade of red.

"Kill." The woman commanded. With that said, the demon wailed as it lunged at the surprised samurai. The army watched in horrific shock as the demon unmercifully ripped their captains into little bloody pieces. Moving with such speed and accuracy, the 'beast' was finished within the blink of an eye. With nothing left to kill, the creature turned its gaze to the assembled army, shrieking loudly amidst the gore as it started to inch towards them.

With profound disinterest, the woman called, "No." to the demon, which immediately responded to the sound of her voice. With another ear piercing shriek the 'beast' appeared to melt back into the shadows of the shrine, leaving no trace of its existence but the grizzly remains of what was once Lord Fuma's captains.

"_That_ was a warning…." Fuma threatened as he watched his men. "If I EVER see anyone run from a battle again… you will meet the same fate as your former captains." He spat as he gestured to the blood stained deck of the shrine. "Am I understood!?!" He shouted.

As one, the army raised their voices in the affirmative. Fuma then turned, gesturing towards his two dark guests. "These…are two of your new commanders! Satsuki-sama, owner of the demon you just saw and Seishiro-sama, the onmyoji of the Sakurazuka……."

* * *

**Location unknown  
****Dusk….**

"It's almost ready Sofu," Sorata called softly to his mentor as he continued to slowly stir the contents of a small pot with one hand while using a small charge of electricity to heat it with his other.

Sitting a small ways off from Sorata sat the miko, arms crossed tightly over her legs which were drawn up to her chest, staring at nothing as the Stargazer of Koya sat behind her, trying to tend her wounds.

They had ridden all through the night, their pace never letting up for a second as they fled from the once glorious shrine of Ise. After several hours, night soon blended into day as the rays of the early morning sun pierced the sky above the horizon. It had been a welcomed sight after the cold and dark storm that had encompassed them the night before. They stopped only when necessary to give the horses a chance to breathe before continuing on to their destination.

When daylight eventually faded to twilight, it was finally decided that they were far enough away to find a place to stop and properly rest themselves and the horses; while Sorata had insisted that they care for the shrine maiden's wounds. The old stargazer was shocked to discover the grizzly condition of the girl's back and agreed to tend to it while he put Sorata to work making a warm broth for them all to drink.

The young priestess had said nothing since they had left Ise and even though the older monk had tried to engage in light conversation with her, it quickly became obvious that she didn't wish to speak. She had complied with his request to sit still as he took a closer look at her back, and to let him treat her, but still she made no sound. As he set to work cleaning the deep lash marks and removing shredded pieces of her torn haori that had become imbedded in her skin, it worried him that she didn't even cry out when he could see her body flinch and jerk in pain.

"This will warm you up Nee-chan! We'll have you feeling better in no time!" Sorata smiled warmly as he approached his two traveling companions, offering the silent girl a small bowl of the steaming broth. Without so much as a glance at the young monk, the girl turned her head a mere fraction to the side, dismissing his offered food.

A ghost of a frown crossed Sorata's lips but was quickly replaced by another smile as he offered the bowl once more. "Come on Nee-chan, it's not that bad and I made it just for you. Won't you try even a little?"

Nothing. This time the girl didn't even move, her eyes still averted from Sorata's gaze, staring at nothing in particular. Sorata sat back slightly confused, concerned for the beautiful miko.

"…Oh! I understand now. You won't accept food from complete strangers! How rude of me!" Sorata forced a laugh as he rubbed the back of his neck in slight embarrassment. "I'm Sorata Arisugawa, and that stuffy old man sitting behind you is the Stargazer of Mt. Koya where we're both from!"

…No reaction... "Again, please forgive my rudeness, BUT Sofu was the one who raised me, so if I have poor manners then HE is the one you should blame." Sorata joked, unable to contain his laughter. The old stargazer leaned away from the miko to give Sorata a stern glare, which only made Sorata laugh harder. The shrine maiden said nothing, her expression devoid of any emotion, her eyes remaining hollow and empty.

Sorata's laughter faded quickly as the old stargazer started to apply a healing balm to the lacerations on her back. A look of pure agony flashed across the girl's face before she immediately closed her eyes and forced the look of pain away from her features… her face becoming a perfect mask of serenity.

_We're getting no where with her_. Sorata thought sadly as he watched the girl for any other signs of feeling or emotion and finding none. She was putting on a brave front but he wasn't fooled. It was obvious to anyone, well…at least to him, that she had suffered greatly at Ise and although they had freed her body from that place… he feared that her heart and thoughts were still imprisoned there. _Getting her to open up is going to be MUCH more difficult than I had originally thought. _He mused to himself.

"Sorata?" His sensei murmured, "There's an extra kimono in my satchel, would you bring it to me?"

Sorata set the bowl of soup down in front of the girl in hopes that she'd change her mind and went to fetch the kimono. While he did this, the old stargazer asked the girl to use Sorata's kesa as a covering while he used what was left of her shredded kimono as bandages for her back. Silently complying, the girl did so and the old monk quickly turned the tattered garment into rags, disposing of the soiled ones and keeping the few that still appeared clean.

Coming to stand behind his mentor, Sorata couldn't help flinching at the sight of the girl's back. Though it had been cleaned and treated, it was still an angry shade of red and seeping blood here and there. Swallowing down his anger, Sorata silently handed the kimono to his sensei and without a word, stalked off towards the edge of the small clearing they'd stopped at.

"Sorata? Where are you going?" His mentor called in concern.

"I'm going to find us some water Sofu. Don't worry, I wont go far." He reassured with a forced smile and disappeared into the trees. Frowning slightly, the old monk's eyes flicked over to the saddlebags where both of their full water pouches were still tied…

********************************************************  
**Ise Shrine  
Dusk…..**

After that morning's "warning", Lord Fuma ordered his men to march north towards Tokyo. A few hours later they met up with forces that had been lead by both Satsuki and Seishiro from the east, nearly doubling the size of the dark lord's original horde.

Rest was not to be found however, as the order to continue their long march to Tokyo came swiftly. Newly appointed captains now led the terrible army while Lord Fuma, Lady Kanoe, Satsuki, and Seishiro took up the rear.

As daylight began to fade, Fuma ordered the soldiers to set up camp. With great secrecy he then pulled Satsuki-sama away from the group, guiding her to a thick group of trees to escape prying eyes and ears.

"I have a special task for you Lady Satsuki." He grinned as he took in the form of the woman before him. She regarded him with little reaction or emotion, as though she was either expecting something like this or she simply didn't care. "And what task is that my Lord?" she questioned stoically.

"Before your arrival this morning I sent trackers to locate the Kakushi Miko who escaped me last night. I have little faith that they will find her and I suspect that she didn't escape without help. I want you to take 'beast' and track down that girl and whoever may be helping her."

Satsuki glanced down as Fuma raised his hand. In his grip he held a blood stained whip which he quickly offered to her. As she took the weapon from him and inspected it he explained, "This whip holds the blood of the miko priestess I'm after. I'm sure your demon can track down any creature it wishes with the appropriate blood scent correct?"

Satsuki nodded as she drew back part of her black cloak, revealing a great number of deadly looking weapons, some not even Lord Fuma recognized. Satsuki was his weapon's expert and with good reason. A skilled female samurai, Satsuki-sama held an amazing skill for using tools and weapons. Her only joy seemed to come from using these weapons in battle and the company of that hellish demon that clung to her like some kind of pet.

Tucking the whip into her belt, Satsuki looked back up and nodded in answer to her master's question. "Beast and I will find her master….but what do you wish for us to do once we find her?"

Fuma smiled at her attitude. She spoke as one who had already completed the task assigned to her, a sign that she had no doubt as to her ability to complete her new mission. "Bring her back to me alive and relatively unharmed…." He murmured, and then his face grew dark. "…And capture whoever's helping her…I want the pleasure of killing THEM myself…."

* * *

**Location unknown  
Nightfall…..**

The stars sparkled like precious gems in the vast night sky. Both Sorata and the old stargazer sat quietly side by side as they simply watched the stars above. The young priestess now donning the old monk's extra kimono, which surprisingly was only a size or so bigger than she, now slept a few feet away from them curled into a small ball around the katana that she still held a tight grip on.

Sorata turned his attention from the stars to the girl's sleeping figure. After retreating to the woods, he had sat in meditation for over an hour, praying that he would find a way to get the miko to open up to them. He returned to their camp disappointed and without a solution. Unable to sleep, he had opted to sit with his sensei and watch the stars.

"What do you think…..what do you think really happened at Ise Sofu? What would they want with the Kakushi Miko?"

After a moment of silence the old man turned his attention to his young protégé. "I'm not entirely certain my son, but if I had to guess…I would say that the horde that invaded Ise was after something…."

Sorata's brow furrowed in careful concentration, trying to recall anything he'd been taught about the Shinto sanctuary and it's guardian. "The Kakushi Miko is the protector of the Ise Shrine. It's said that all of the spiritual powers of the Ise gods resides within her and when necessary, that power can emerge from her body…. But, if she possesses such great power, then why was there no sign that she had fought back? I know the army was quite large, but given her amount of power….. Something must have happened to her." He sighed in frustration. "And that still doesn't explain just "what" they were after….unless…"

The wise stargazer remained silent; watching Sorata slowly put the pieces together. "Mirror…." Sorata whispered to himself hesitantly. The old monk nodded. "Yes Sorata. The mirror that Fuma-dono spoke of when interrogating the girl… _That_ is what he is after. In a few days a new emperor will rise to the throne over all Japan. During that time, a ceremony is held where the imperial regalia of Japan will be presented to the Emperor. Those three treasures that make up that regalia are a central part of the imperial enthronement ceremony. In order for the _true_ emperor to accept that duty, the three sacred treasures of Japan _must_ be there and turned over to him. These sacred relics possess great power Sorata and if any of them should fall into the wrong hands, the result would be unthinkable..."

Sorata's eyes widened in horror. "The mirror… you're referring to the Yata no Kagami aren't you!? That mirror is _one_ of those three treasures, hidden for its own protection at… at the Grand Shrine of Ise……" Jumping to his feet, Sorata couldn't help but pace as his mind became a whirlwind of unanswered questions. "The mirror _was _under the protection of Ise, but that bastard Fuma said he didn't have it…. He said something to Nee-chan about her "hiding" it… Does that mean it's still safely hidden!?! Or has he already found it!?!" Sorata brought a clenched fist up to his brow in utter frustration. _Why can't I remember!?!_ He thought to himself angrily. _What exactly did that monster say to her!?! _

He tried desperately to remember Lord Fuma's cruel conversation with the miko but could only remember bits and pieces of what was said. Something about 'hiding', 'take it by force', and 'maintaining'… but what did it all mean!?! Unable to sort it out, Sorata growled in aggravation. After a moment, Sorata turned to his mentor whose gaze was now settled upon the sleeping miko. Sorata's frustration slowly turned to worry. "Do you think Fuma found it?" the boy monk whispered so quietly, the old monk nearly missed it.

"I don't know." the stargazer sighed deeply. "All I am certain of…is that our answers lie within our Hidden Shrine Maiden… and so far, she is as silent as the stars." He murmured, his gaze once again returning to the heavens.

Sorata sat back down next to his mentor and sighed wearily, his eyes never leaving the form of the sleeping girl. He knew his sensei was right….somehow…. they were going to have to get answers from her….one way or another…..

* * *

Well my friends? What do you think? I'm having a lot of fun writing this story and have learned quite a bit about Japan's history as I do (though once again, I am NOT an expert by any means!!!). Research of the Imperial Regalia of Japan is actually what gave me the idea for this story in the first place. That's right! I'm not making up the regalia! The yata no kagami is an actual mirror and one of Japan's sacred treasures. Even more interesting...the yata no kagami is "supposedly" being kept at the Grand Shrine of Ise!!! Research it yourself if you'd like, its VERY interesting (though there is still little known about these relics so I will most likely end up being a bit "creative" with what these relics can do) and fun to learn about! Let me know what you think! I LOVE to hear from you all in your reviews and a VERY BIG THANK YOU to ALL of you who HAVE reviewed so far! You're THE BEST!!! -Miko


	5. A Name and a Nightmare

Greetings readers! This has to be THE fastest update I've ever done! Ha ha ha! If you're still reading this then I HOPE that means that you're still enjoying my story so far! I truly hope so! I know that I've enjoyed writing it, in fact, I think this is the best chapter yet as far as the Sorashi aspect of this story goes! We FINALLY get some dialogue going!!! _But,_ the way it plays out may surprise you!.....Enjoy!

* * *

**Location unknown  
Dawn**

It was nearly the crack of dawn when she uncurled herself from her sleeping position and surveyed her surroundings. The old monk was still sleeping soundly a few feet away; the younger monk was no where to be seen. She frowned slightly at that, wondering for a split second where the boy could be but then quickly dismissed all thought of him. She needed to leave before they realized she was gone.

As she sat up, she was surprised to find the young monk's beautifully woven kesa had been carefully placed over her as a blanket of sorts sometime during the night. Her heart softened slightly as she ran a hand over the soft fabric and once again looked around for the boy it belonged to, but there was still no sign of him.

Rising to her feet, she winced suddenly and bit back a cry of pain as she felt the lacerated skin of her back protest at any sudden movements. Taking a deep breath, she turned her attention to the direction of their horses….could she risk taking one? Shaking her head slightly at the thought, she clutched her stolen katana tightly and turned to head north, away from their little camp. She hadn't walked more than two feet when all of a sudden the young monk she'd looked for earlier appeared before her. She couldn't stop the surprised gasp that escaped her lips at his sudden appearance out of nowhere. His face was strangely expressionless, his eyes boring into hers as he asked a seemingly simple question. "Where are you going?"

Sorata watched her expression change instantly from one of surprise to one of annoyance. She glared at him frostily as she refused to answer him. Stepping closer to her, he repeated his question. The girl took a step back, widening the distance between them. "Move." She threatened icily. Sorata frowned as he watched her grip on the katana grow impossibly tighter. "She speaks!" he exclaimed in mock surprise. "I was beginning to think I'd imagined it…I'm sorry priestess, but I can't let you leave. Not without some answers and not when you're so badly wounded." By this time the old stargazer had awoken and was now watching their conversation in silent astonishment. Leave it to Sorata to find a way to move a mountain or make a silent shrine maiden speak.

The girl's eyes hardened at Sorata's words. "I'm _not_ your prisoner monk. Don't misunderstand. I'm grateful for what the two of you have done, but _this_ is where we part ways." Once again she took a deliberate step forward. Sorata's face remained passive but he continued to hold his ground.

The miko's annoyance turned to anger. "_Get out… of my way_." She hissed through clenched teeth. A soft slicing noise caused Sorata's eyes to flick down to the weapon in her hand. The girl's thumb had instinctually pushed the pommel of the katana out of its sheath a few inches, exposing part of the blade. Sorata recognized the warning she was giving him.

"Sorata…." His sensei called, his voice full of caution.

Sorata's eyes never left the girl for a second but he raised his hand to stop his mentor from speaking any further. "Don't worry Sofu….I know what I'm doing."

"I don't think you do!" The miko spat angrily as she glared daggers at the boy monk before her.

Slowly reaching for the shakujo he'd left leaning against a tree the night before, Sorata held it calmly in one of his hands. He took a deep breath as he prepared for what would surely be one of the cruelest things he'd ever done. His eyes turned cold as he looked the miko up and down.

"You wish to leave Nee-chan? Go ahead… but you'll have to get past _me_ first." He challenged as he tightened his grip on the shakujo.

If he hadn't been looking for it, Sorata would have missed the flash of surprise that flickered in her eyes before being instantly replaced with a fire that burned so fiercely it caused his own steady heart to skip a beat. Bringing her right hand down to grip the hilt of her still sheathed blade the girl gave one final warning. "I don't want to hurt you _boy_, but you're not giving me a choice."

Bracing himself, Sorata chuckled. "I _doubt_ you'll hurt me Nee-chan. What do I have to fear from a _girl_ who can't even protect herself from a beating, much less protect her own shrine"

With a cry of outrage and a flash of movement, Sorata was mere inches from having his head cut off. The only thing between the deadly blade of the miko's katana and his own neck was his shakujo which he'd immediately thrown up in defense. Hot breath rolled across his cheek and he quickly realized that he was face to face with the beautiful shrine maiden. She was panting heavily from the exertion of forcing her sword against his shakujo. Eyes wild with rage, she continued to push her blade closer and closer to his throat, his staff giving way little by little. He was amazed at the amount of strength she possessed, even for one as wounded as she was.

"How _dare_ you judge me!?!" she cried, "When you don't know _anything _about what happened that night!"

Noticing that the harder she pushed her weapon against his meant the closer her face drew to his as well, Sorata was half tempted to _let_ her cut him open. The nearness of this girl was absolutely intoxicating and he knew that if he wasn't careful, he could easily lose his head…literally _and_ figuratively.

"I know you didn't even _try_ to fight the army that burned your home to the ground!" He spat coldly as he started to push his weapon against hers. With another sharp cry of anger, the miko immediately sprang away from him only to lash out at him from a different side. Sorata whirled just in time to counter her attack, startled by how fast she moved. _Perhaps this wasn't the best idea?_ He thought to himself…until he heard her speak again.

"I would have fought if I could!" she snapped back as she once again sought to attack him from a different angle, irritated that his shakujo was made from some sort of metal rather than an ordinary wooden one. "I could have stopped them if they'd let me!"

Ducking beneath his staff, the miko lunged at him, intent on slamming her fist into his jaw. Sorata deftly caught her by the wrist and held her fast. "Who!?.." he pressed, "Who stopped you from protecting the shrine!?" And that's when he saw it… Pain…Raw and excruciating pain in her eyes. "My sisters...the other mikos of the shrine..." she answered in a voice thick with sorrow.

Sorata drew up short, obviously confused and shot a look over at his sensei. The older monk looked as lost as he. "Are you telling me that your fellow mikos _forced_ you to stand down while they allowed themselves to be slaughtered!?!" he uttered in disbelief, returning his attention to the shrine maiden. Once again, emotion was replaced by a raging fire in her eyes as she slammed the pommel of her katana into Sorata's stomach, forcing him to release her wrist. She stepped back and scowled at him in disgust. "Don't be a fool!" She snapped, watched him gasp for air. "We had something more important than our shrine or our very lives to protect!!!"

"The Yata no kagami…" Sorata rasped as he used his shakujo to help him stand up straight. "You hid it somewhere. That's the only reason why they spared you isn't."

A laugh so cold and bitter it gave him chills escaped her lips. "Spared me!?" she exclaimed. "SPARED ME!?!.... I wish they'd have _killed_ me!" she cried, her pain so great it was almost tangible. "I watched that man torture and kill each of my sisters one by one in hopes of getting me to give him that mirror! I watched his army butcher the people of our peaceful city without mercy, and burn all of Ise to the ground while I was forced to watch… _powerless_ to stop it!"

Her words overwhelmed Sorata with grief and empathy…empathy for the young woman before him who had been forced to witness the unthinkable. It was the cruelest form of torture. He had no idea what to say to ease such pain and suffering… he wasn't even sure if there _was _such a way to heal wounds that ran that deep. Then a thought struck him that made him catch his breath…. What if it had happened to him?... Suppose it had been Koya that had been attacked instead of Ise? If he had been forced to watch as his fellow monks had been murdered right before his eyes….the thought was unbearable.

"You must be in so much pain." Sorata whispered brokenly. "I'm _so_ sorry."

An uncontrollable rage filled her, his words only adding fuel to the fire of hatred that threatened to consume her. With a scream that sounded like the cry of a dying animal the miko lashed out at him without restraint, blinded by a thousand different emotions. Sorata could feel sweat trickle down his temple as he dodged and deflected her wild and erratic assault.

"I don't want your _PITY_!" she cried in loathing, her eyes shimmering with tears unshed. He wondered briefly if she was even seeing him for who he was…or if she was so blinded by her pain that she saw him as the murderer who had taken everything from her.

She took a step back to catch her breath, her body shaking badly. Concerned that he had taken this way too far, Sorata dropped his defensive stance, refusing to let this fight go any further.

"What _do_ you want Nee-chan?" he asked, his voice full of compassion.

Without warning, the shrine maiden lunged at him with the gleaming katana. "I want _JUSTICE_!" she roared with conviction. In that split second, the world seemed to move in slow motion. As the blade pierced his body he instantly came to the realization that what the shrine maiden was truly feeling was _guilt_. It was so painfully obvious now that Sorata was surprised he hadn't realized it sooner….

His own blood splattered across his cheek as the miko drove the blade all the way to the hilt through his left shoulder, her body stopping short against his. He was vaguely aware of the voice of his sensei calling his name and of pain from his wound, but in that moment there was only he and this girl. Before she could move, Sorata dropped his shakujo and brought his hand up to cup the back of the miko's head, turning his own head slightly to brush his lips against her ear. "It's not your fault Nee-chan…" he whispered tenderly.

A strangled sob escaped the girl at his words. Her eyes widened in absolute shock at what she had done. Her hands, still locked tightly around the katana, were now covered in the boy's blood. Sorata felt her body shaking uncontrollably against his and he looked down to see that the back of her borrowed kimono was now stained red from the wounds on her back. No doubt reopened and bleeding thanks to their fighting. _Damn!_ He cursed to himself as he brought his other hand up to touch her waist in a fragile hug. "It's not your fault…." He whispered again as he felt the girl begin to weep. "Not your fault…."

After holding her for a moment, Sorata leaned back to look at the shrine maiden. Tears streamed down her face and he loathed himself for being the cause of them. Her eyes caught and held his. In their depths he saw shame, regret and despair and instantly a fierce desire to console her filled him.

"If _justice_ is what you seek Nee-chan, then I swear to you…I _will_ help you get it. I _choose_ to give you my heart, my loyalty and my life. You don't have to go through this alone…. Let me help you and I _swear _justice will be done. I swear it upon my own blood." He vowed passionately, bringing his right hand up to grasp the blood smeared blade embedded in his shoulder, his eyes searching hers for acceptance.

Her face was a mask of shock, but after a moment's hesitation, she nodded. With one swift smooth motion, the shrine maiden pulled the sword from Sorata's shoulder and threw it to the ground in revulsion. With a grunt of pain Sorata nearly collapsed, dizzy from the loss of blood. Before he hit the ground, he found himself encircled by the miko, who caught him and carefully helped him to the ground. As Sorata laid back, the shrine maiden swiftly clamped both her hands on his wound to staunch the flow of blood.

"I have one more question…" Sorata asked quietly as the miko turned to look at him, her hands still putting pressure on his wound. "Does Nee-chan have a name?" he whispered with a small smile. The miko swallowed the knot she felt in her throat and whispered, "Kishuu…Arashi." "Arashi…." Sorata murmured softly, and then smiled again. "It's all been worth it… just to learn your name." he chuckled closing his eyes. Arashi looked at him as though he were completely mad…..

********************************************  
**Imperial Palace of Japan, Tokyo**  
**Midmorning…  
**

Slowly making his way to the top of the flight of stairs, Kamui's mind was already churning with questions, and the day hadn't even really begun yet! Not only was he struggling with an ever growing sense of self-doubt, but now he was plagued with worry over the strange dream that Kotori had confided to him.

Strange images that were a far cry from any sort of dream she'd ever dreamt of before. Faces of people she didn't know filled her sight but then settled on Kamui and another young man she didn't recognize. The faces then seemed to melt into the background until only Kamui and the stranger remained.

This was where the dream became a nightmare for Kotori…. Instantly, the image of Kamui turned to that of a great golden dragon, its scales radiating a pure and holy light. Just as suddenly, the stranger's image turned to that of a massive red dragon whose eyes burned as though made of searing hot coals, and whose scales gleamed as crimson as freshly spilt blood.

Without warning the red dragon attacked the golden one, and a deadly battle ensued. Fang met flesh and all the world seemed bathed in blood, screams, and flames. The fight was fierce indeed, for neither dragon seemed to have the upper hand. Both were wounded, both were still fighting, but before Kotori saw which beast bested the other, the very dream itself seemed to shatter like broken shards of glass….

Kamui shook his head, as though trying to rid himself of the images her dream had conjured to his own mind. In his heart, he felt that the dream meant something important…but what that was, he simply wasn't sure. The lady Hinoto had also seemed at a loss, stating that this particular dream was more like a vision she had also had; playing upon symbols rather than on actual future events. Kamui's attitude had soured at Hinoto's assessment, feeling somewhat patronized on Kotori's behalf. Certain he wouldn't be turning into some sort of dragon any time soon, _OF COURSE_ the dream was symbolic! Even _He_ could have told the mystic that much!

Needing his own confidante, Kamui had found himself seeking out Aoki-san, certain that he could help find answers he was searching for. But as he finally reached the landing and came upon the open door of Aoki's study, he stopped as he heard voices coming from inside. Hesitantly, Kamui brought himself closer to the entryway though sticking to the shadows to keep from being seen.

A heated discussion was going on between Aoki-san and someone that Kamui couldn't quite place by just the voice. Their words were spoken so quickly that they blended together making it difficult to hear, though Kamui was certain he heard his name mentioned at least twice. Straining to hear, Kamui shifted his weight, accidentally causing the wooden planks to creak loudly. All conversation ceased and Aoki-san immediately invited Kamui to enter.

Trying to look dignified despite his snooping, Kamui slowly entered the room, taking in the form of both Aoki and his guest.

"My Lord Kamui! What a blessing it is to stand before your presence this morning!" the guest bowed quite gracefully. Kamui recognized the man now, it was Yuto Kigai, one of the royal advisors and second only to Aoki-san on the emperor's council. Kamui nodded in acknowledgement to Yuto-sama and turned to Aoki, whose expression was unreadable.

Straightening, Yuto smiled warmly though it didn't reach his startling blue eyes. Turning to Aoki, Yuto nodded and headed towards the door. "I wont keep you any longer Lord Aoki since I have pressing matters of my own to attend to but…think about what I said, wont you?" he practically sang as he reached the doorway.

Kamui watched him cautiously. Though Yuto was very well liked in the palace and had served the empire for nearly as long as Aoki-san, there was something about him that gave Kamui the chills.

"Something wrong Kamui?" Aoki asked softly as he too watched Yuto disappear from sight.

"Uh…" Kamui uttered, momentarily forgetting what he had come there for in the first place.

"Don't worry about Yuto-san, Kamui. He dwells too much on politics and not enough on people. Your ascension couldn't have come at a more critical time."

Kamui turned at that, looking at Aoki-san with irritation. "Indeed. It's quite convenient for everyone but myself." He muttered.

Smiling at the boy, Aoki wrapped a fatherly arm around him, recognizing Kamui's typical nasty attitude as a mask to hide his deeper feelings of self-doubt.

"You fear that you aren't ready for such an important responsibility… but you fail to see the strength and the courage inside yourself Kamui. You are destined to become the emperor and it is destiny that will help you see your own self worth."

Kamui swallowed the knot that was forming in his throat. "I just…I have this bad feeling that I just can't seem to shake Aoki-san…" Kamui murmured quietly, "Something is coming…I just wish I knew what."

Aoki frowned at Kamui's words, understanding his feelings…for he felt them too. Suddenly wishing to reassure the boy he'd come to love as a son he embraced Kamui tightly. Startled, Kamui eventually returned Aoki-san's embrace. "Destiny is what's coming Kamui….and I have faith in you…that you will rise to meet it….."

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Ya know what readers…I'm starting to realize that the more characters I start adding into the story, the more complex and somewhat complicated the plot becomes… meaning that this story is starting to become quite the undertaking and may be quite a BIT lengthy. Is this story worth the effort I'm putting into it? Naturally I intend on finishing it whether I get reviews/feedback or not but it REALLY helps to know what you think! All you gotta do is push that cute little review button! And I'd like to give a special thanks to all who have reviewed so far! Thank you SO VERY MUCH! -Miko


	6. The Truth Behind the Massacre

Hello dear readers! Sorry its been a while since I've last updated but here's a brand new chapter for ya! Hope you enjoy!

**Location unknown  
Midmorning……**

"Ow Sofu! You don't have to make them so tight!" Sorata whined as the old stargazer worked to bandage the wound in the boy's shoulder.

The old man scowled. "Honestly Sorata, you're lucky to even be alive right now! What on earth were you thinking!?!" He growled, obviously upset and more than a little irritated. "Just a few more inches to the right and that girl would have pierced your heart!"

Sorata's demeanor suddenly changed. "…Who says she didn't?" he murmured softly.

The stargazer nearly dropped the strip of bandage he was holding and looked closely at his student's face. Sorata's eyes were solely focused on the shrine maiden a few feet away from them. The old monk followed his protégé's gaze to that of the girl.

……After being stabbed, Sorata had nearly raised a fit when the stargazer had tried to bandage him up first, adamant that his mentor take care of the miko's back first. Surprisingly, the miko then started to argue that the young monk was being ridiculous and needed help immediately. Sorata, being Sorata, offered to give in to her demand _only_ if she gave him a kiss in return. That immediately earned Sorata a slap from the miko but also stopped her arguing.

So they stayed that way, Sorata laying where he had fallen, the miko continuing to apply pressure to his wound while the stargazer once again patched up her back. Upon finishing with her, he sent the miko to move the horses to a different grazing spot while he had set to work treating Sorata's shoulder……

Both monks watched as the girl hesitantly approached the horses. Sorata's heart warmed as he watched the girl cautiously extend her hand to touch the soft fuzz of one of the horse's snouts. The animal leaned in closer to her, eager to be touched and loving the attention. Gaining courage, she moved closer to the creature, now stroking its ears and running her hand down the length of its neck. The other horse then leaned over to nudge the girl's shoulder, insisting he be petted as well. A ghost of a smile touched the girl's lips and Sorata couldn't help the smile it also brought to his own.

The stargazer then looked back at Sorata and frowned. "Be mindful of your thoughts my son." The old man murmured. "…don't forget who she is." Reluctant to stop watching her, Sorata finally looked over at his mentor, his smile fading slightly. "What do you mean Sofu?" he asked, clearly confused.

"She is the Kakushi Miko Sorata…and is now the only miko of the Ise Shrine left. If what she has told us is true, and I believe that it is, then I fear greatly for her life. I have seen her star in the heavens and its light is slowly fading. You know I speak the truth…"

Sorata's smile disappeared. As the stargazer had bandaged the girl, Sorata had finally coaxed the whole story out of the miko…including the location of the sacred mirror.

…….Arashi painfully explained how they had sensed the coming of the army only minutes before the attack had taken place. How the head of the shrine, a woman Arashi called Kaede, insisted that protecting the mirror was their first priority.

Gathering all of the miko of the shrine together, Kaede laid the Yata no kagami before Arashi and had the mikos encircle the hidden shrine maiden. The mirror remained covered in a red satin cloth, its image forbidden for anyone other than the emperor himself to look upon it. The mikos, twelve in total, then chanted an ancient Shinto spell so powerful, it encompassed and subdued the power of the sacred relic and forged the mirror to Arashi's soul, her body acting as a shrine to house the holy object.

No small task, considering the incredible power the mirror possessed. With the complete strength of the twelve mikos spent, and Arashi's power as the hidden shrine maiden now completely devoted to maintaining and subduing the powerful mirror within her, there was no protection left for the Shrine of Ise…and so it had fallen…..

Arashi had offered no more information after that, and neither monk pressed her for it…already knowing what had happened when the army arrived. Her tragic story had explained a lot… why there had been no sign of resistance to the massacre…why Arashi had been the only miko left alive…why she would fight with a man made weapon and not the one that was rumored to exist inside her…and why her body was not healing as quickly as one possessing power such as hers should.

Sorata sighed as he looked back at the miko, whose expression became unreadable as she glanced over at him once before quickly flitting away as she led the horses to another grove of trees. "I know Sofu…" he whispered softly. "I know. That's why I must protect her… because she is the last miko of Ise, because she now carries the Yata no kagami, because she can't do this alone, and because……" Sorata paused and looked back over at the distracted priestess, his expression ever softening. "….because I love her." He smiled sadly.

The stargazer's eyes widened slightly with surprise, despite the fact he had suspected as much from earlier divinations. Sorata's destiny and that of Arashi-san's were intertwined, their stars of fate ever dancing around one another slowly and gracefully in the heavens above. Their path would be one fraught with great peril and pain and an outcome that had yet to be determined.

Though he knew he could not stop destiny, the old man still wished he could spare his beloved student the pain and heartache that would surely follow this pair on such a journey. Sorata's love would be wasted on a young priestess who could never return that love and still maintain her status as Ise's Kakushi miko. Even if they did find a way to survive all of this…it still would not change what they both were…a monk and a miko.

"I know what you're thinking Sofu." Sorata turned to him then, his sad smile still in place. "I'm not a fool…I know both of our circumstances but…..that doesn't change the way I feel about her."

The elderly stargazer nodded in understanding. "I'll protect her Sofu…I'll protect her with my very life." Sorata vowed passionately, his face set with fierce determination. "I'll get her to Tokyo and we'll save the emperor. THIS I PROMISE YOU!"

"I'd expect nothing less from my star pupil." The stargazer finally smiled as he finished tying the last bandage in place…… "But I'm afraid you'll have to make this journey without me……."

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**Moving Northward  
Afternoon……  
**

The soft jingling sound coming from the rings of Sorata's shakujo as they walked reverberated gently throughout the air around them as both the young monk and the beautiful miko continued their journey northward.

To Arashi's surprise the young monk hadn't said much since their parting of ways with his sensei. Though it came as no surprise to her when the old monk had warned that they were being pursued and that they should split up to fool their pursuers, the boy named Sorata had seemed not only shocked but truly distressed.

…..The kind old man had done his best to explain his reasons for leaving… claiming that if he took the horses and fled in a different direction then it may fool those who were no doubt already tracking them. Sorata had argued vehemently that they'd seen no sign of being followed and that they'd be safer traveling together but, in the end, the old stargazer had won.

Arashi had tried her best to remain respectful when the older monk had pulled Sorata aside and talked with him briefly alone before preparing to leave, though she had to admit she was very curious about their private conversation. Whatever it was about, however, it was clearly none of her business. So she stood aside quietly stroking the horses and watching the two monks talk.

It wasn't long before their confidential discussion ended and the old monk turned in her direction. Her heart, which she silently feared had been broken beyond all repair up until that moment, lurched painfully inside her chest when she watched Sorata suddenly embrace the old man in a fierce hug…the kind that spoke of unconditional love, warmth and a sorrowful farewell. _Do you know?... Do you truly understand just how fortunate you are to have the opportunity to say goodbye? _The young priestess had wondered to herself painfully as she watched them….

"Nee-chan is so lovely when she's lost in thought." Sorata grinned, startling Arashi out of her thoughts_. And there goes the peaceful silence_ Arashi mused to herself as she chanced a glance over at her companion.

"…Of course…Nee-chan is lovely no matter what she's doing, I've noticed." He continued happily as he smiled down at her. Arashi quickly averted her eyes and let her hair fall around her face, hoping it would hide the telltale signs of a blush gracing her cheeks. Suddenly it seemed as though they'd been walking forever and she found herself longing for their horses.

"Once we reach that village up ahead we can stop for food and supplies and perhaps even a fresh change of clothes... Would that please you Nee-chan?"

Surprisingly, the idea of a fresh change of clothes really _did_ raise her spirits. The old stargazer had been very kind in lending her his spare robes but they were now torn and bloodied and hardly appropriate for anyone other than a monk to wear. "Yes." She replied coolly after a moment, "That would please me."

"Then your wish is my command!" He quipped enthusiastically, ever so slightly quickening their pace……

********************************  
**Location Unknown  
Afternoon…..**

She touched the ground carefully, her eyes following the telltale signs that a fight had taken place here not long ago. Then she saw it, a small rock smeared red with blood from someone's open wound. Running a finger over the crimson streak she picked up the rock and stood to face the red eyes that watched her from the shadows cast by the trees, waiting for its mistress.

Satsuki approached the creature and held up the bloody object for its inspection. The darkness clad demon leaned forward and then wailed loudly at the smell of its prey. Reaching out with her other hand to stroke the beast affectionately, she tossed the rock aside, her suspicions confirmed. The priestess had been here and was still wounded but she was not alone. At least two others were traveling with her, perhaps against her will judging by the tracks left behind. Some sort of struggle had taken place and as she traced the steps that had been taken during the fight, it was obvious that neither contender were strangers to fighting techniques. This brought a smile to the otherwise dreary girl's face. This _was _going to be interesting.

She scoffed at the horse tracks clearly left behind for anyone to follow, and it was easy to see that the trackers Lord Fuma had told her he'd sent out before her fell for the bait as she found several more horse tracks following the older prints left behind that morning. _Fools. _She thought to herself as she mounted herself onto her demonic charge. "Find her." She murmured to the monster and with a horrible shriek the beast swiftly headed north, moving eerily from shadow to ominous shadow.

Pursuit in the day proved difficult since demons hated the light and grew weak in its presence, but Satsuki was certain that as the day wore on and the forest's shadows grew longer, that they would finally reach their prey near sundown and then…. Then the real fun would begin…….

***********************************  
**Yongho Village**  
**Late afternoon…**

It had been a stroke of luck that the small village of Yongho had a modest Buddhist temple nestled near its center. Though Sorata had never been to another temple outside of Koya , the monks immediately recognized him for who he was and treated him as one of their own. Arashi, although hesitant about her place there, found that the monks there also regarded her with the utmost respect. Though they didn't have much, the monks of the temple offered the weary travelers a humble meal and gave them what funds they could spare for provisions and clothing. They had offered a few robes from the monastery to both of them but Sorata, to Arashi's surprise, turned down the offer. It wasn't long before they said their goodbyes to the kindly monks and were once again on their way, making a detour through the village's marketplace.

"Sorata-san… why not take the robes your fellow monks offered?" Arashi asked quietly as he led her to a stand where a man was selling women's kimonos. Sorata gave her a small grin as he eyed the kimonos in a critical fashion, judging each of them carefully. "Don't you think it would look rather strange to other travelers, to see a monk and a miko roaming all of Japan together…._alone_?" he quipped, picking up a sage green kimono.

Arashi stopped and realized she hadn't even thought about it. As if coming out of a daze she took a closer look around her, realizing that even now, the villagers were giving them strange looks. She automatically pulled her tattered robes closer to herself, suddenly feeling self-conscious and out of place.

"If we dress ordinary and try to stay low key then chances are we'll draw less attention to ourselves, making it harder for anyone who may be tracking us to find us." he continued, his mood now growing sober. Arashi looked back at him to see his face change from one of amusement to one of deep and troubled thought. _He must be worrying about his sensei._ She thought sadly. She hardly knew this brash young man who had pledged his love and loyalty to her, but the look on his face seemed so very foreign on his handsome happy go lucky features.

Without thinking she reached out and touched his arm. Sorata immediately snapped out of his thoughts as his eyes shot to her hand on his arm. "I'm sure that the stargazer is alright." She murmured, her gaze meeting his. For a fleeting moment, she saw a desperate hope in his eyes, before it vanished and he brought his other hand up to cover hers nodding in thanks, a grateful smile pulling at his lips. Turning to the merchant, Sorata happily announced the four garments that they would buy.

Leaving his side to let Sorata finish bartering with the clothe merchant, Arashi wandered a little ways through the market, quietly observing the people around her. What would happen to these people if she failed to bring the mirror to the emperor...or worse…allow the mirror to fall into the wrong hands? Her train of thought was shattered when she suddenly heard a large commotion coming from one of the merchant stands near by. She watched in shock as a large man behind a fruit stand held a scrawny and wild looking kid cruelly in the air by the wrist screaming to everyone around them that the screeching child had been caught stealing his fruit.

"This is the last time you'll steal my goods you little brat!" the man roared as he drew a dagger from his belt.

The child in his grasp started lashing out violently, screaming even louder in protest. To Arashi's surprise the child was a girl, perhaps only a few years younger than herself. Before the man could take his next breath Arashi grabbed the large merchant's wrist and wrenched it tightly, forcing him to drop the girl, who fell to the ground in shock. The man cried out in both pain and rage, cursing as he raised his dagger to strike out at Arashi instead. With little time to react, Arashi raised her arm to block, preparing herself for the pain of impact but gasped when the dagger connected with the metal staff of Sorata's shakujo.

"Now now..." Sorata chided with a grim smile on his face as he positioned himself in front of Arashi and the frail girl still awestruck on the ground just behind her. "That's quite the temper you've got there mister, to just attack two unarmed girls."

Arashi scowled at Sorata who purposely ignored her glare, knowing full well that she was far from unarmed, her katana tied to her side with a sash. _Idiot_. She thought sourly.

The angry merchant pulled back, obviously surprised by Sorata's counter attack and his calm and somewhat cheery demeanor. "That filthy little wretch is a thief and a liar! She brings bad fortune to anyone she comes in contact with and she's been cast out of this village more than once. She knows better than to come here, let alone steal from me _again_!" he spat angrily as he pointed an accusatory finger at the dirty young girl.

Sorata glanced over at the girl Arashi had protected. Large blue eyes filled with pain, shock and desperation stared back at him through a mess of long dark tangled hair. His gaze then shifted to Arashi who nodded to him almost imperceptibly as she moved over to the fruit stand and started placing fruit in a small knapsack she'd brought with her. Sorata turned back to the still fuming merchant. "There's no need for violence here." Sorata said solemnly, "You'll be paid for your fruit." And with that said Sorata gave the man the last of their currency.

The small knapsack now bulging, Arashi gave the bag to Sorata who knelt before the wild child in as unthreatening a manner as possible and offered her the bag. "Here." He said warmly as he smiled at the girl's wide and disbelieving eyes. "Don't be afraid. Take this and stay out of trouble."

The girl stared at him, searching his face for any signs of trickery or deceit in his unheard of gift. She shot a glance at Arashi, whose eyes stayed unreadable and fixed on Sorata. Eyes now shimmering with tears, the thin girl swallowed the large knot in her throat and wordlessly snatched the bag from Sorata's hand and ran like a shot towards the edge of town. Sorata, Arashi and the small crowd that had now gathered from the commotion watched her go silently. Once she was well out of sight Sorata stood and looked to Arashi. Her face gave nothing of her thoughts away and without a word she started to walk towards the opposite side of town, always heading north.

With a knowing smile on his face Sorata lifted a large burlap sack of their clothing purchases onto his shoulder and silently followed the shrine maiden, pointedly ignoring the angry and hostile glares he was receiving from the gathering of villagers. He harbored no regret for what He and Arashi had done for that poor girl, besides…he believed in karma and who knew…perhaps their kind gesture would be returned to them somehow in the future….

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Sorry that there wasn't any Kamui, Fuma or Seishiro-san in this chapter for all you fans out there waiting for them, but I PROMISE as the story continues that we'll see more and more of them! Just bear with me, Sora and Ara-chan and I swear you'll see more and more of your fav characters….we "may" have even already met a new one in this chapter…Hmmm…. :) Anyways, please tell me what you thought! I LOVE reviews! ;) And THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING!!!! -Miko


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